Opinion: Riverbooks

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In last week’s OC Weekly, occasional Times op-ed contributor Gustavo Arellano wrote about a new book by Patrick Mitchell, Santa Ana River Guide: From Crest to Coast - 110 Miles Along Southern California’s Largest River System, which Arellano calls ‘an entertaining, informative read that’s part travel guide, history, encyclopedia, biography -- and part activist tome for those who dream of a Santa Ana River restored to its natural state.’

This is the latest in a flurry of semi-recent books on Southern California’s various embattled rivers. Because it’s almost Christmas, I thought it might be fun to compile a list. If there are any missing titles, please add them in the comments:

Down by the Los Angeles River: Friends of the Los Angeles River’s Official Guide, by Joe Linton (October 2005).

The Sespe Wild: Southern California’s Last Free River, by Bradley John Monsma (July 2004).

Hazardous Metropolis: Flooding and Urban Ecology in Los Angeles, by Jared Orsi (January 2004).

The Definitive Guide to the Waterfalls of Southern and Central California, by Chris Shaffer (March 2003).

The Definitive Guide to Fishing in Southern California, by Chris Shaffer (June 2001).

Rio L. A.: Tales from the Los Angeles River, by our very own Patt Morrison and Mark Lamonica (May 2001).

The Los Angeles River: Its Life, Death, and Possible Rebirth, by Blake Gumprecht (April 1999).

I’m still holding out hope for the Compton Creek, but mostly I’m shocked to not find on a quick search any Charles Lummis-style odes to the great Arroyo Seco....